NFL QB Kirk Cousins on joining the Atlanta Falcons, and how he'll prep to play against the Vikings

I have tried to learn the Dirty Bird dance I would like to bust it out at some point maybe on a touchdown run if I can be fortunate enough to run one in how hyped are you man to be on the Falcons this year and what are you most uh looking forward to yeah the regular season's drawn close now it's been a long time coming since March when we first started and uh through OTA practices and several weeks of training camp and now the real thing is only about 10 days away so um we got a great group we've worked really hard uh still more work to do to get prepared for the Steelers week one but um I'm excited to uh go out in front of our home fans in Atlanta and start the season off great it looks like you've been uh getting treated very well down south I lived down there for a few years so I know nothing beats good Southern Hospitality but what is one thing about Atlanta that's been either a huge surprise for you or the biggest difference uh compared to other places you've lived before I think you said it the southern hospitality has blown me away way I just can't believe how many people have offered you know to have us over for dinner you know offered to host us for round of golf they're just trying to make our transition as easy as possible they're trying to provide as many resources as possible try to introduce us to as many people as possible that could potentially help us in any number of ways so just the sheer volume of people reaching out making themselves available to help it truly is southern hospitality and um it's made us feel really welcome and very quickly good you finally fulfilled your water park day dream after decades and on your birthday no less so where did that dream come from and you got to tell us your favorite part of the day yeah we always used a joke going back many years when training camp days start to get long and hot uh and you're going out to another practice and the Rumor starts to spread around the locker room that you know maybe coach today is going to get some buses and send us to a water park instead you know just just throwing it out there I don't know just telling you what I heard and for about 20 years going back to high school the buses never showed up and uh and so I started to lose hope you know asy guys did start to say it a few weeks ago you know hey maybe we'll get a water park day and I thought n after all my years that all talk and then sure enough sure enough the other day the buses showed up after our lift and our meetings we were about to go out to practice and suddenly it was announced it was a water park day and so uh after 20 years of waiting you better believe I uh took full advantage that's amazing I'm happy for you um talking a little bit about the team now I mean you've got quite the Stacked offense this year between bejon Kyle pittz Drake London just to name a few but how have you guys been connecting lately uh now that the season's approaching and and how much do you like these guys yeah I really enjoyed getting to know them uh young players who just have so much potential and I feel so privileged as a quarterback to be a part of helping turn that potential into u a lot of success um I kind of view my responsibility as the quarterback to help them have the production they want to have help them get to where they want to go and help them help us win and uh um really excited to get going with them and just start to be a distributor and get them the football because they are great players and they've showed it in practice and now we got to have them show it in games great you'll be seeing Minnesota again this year when you and the Falcons play at US Bank St in December so what will be your emotions you think going back there and how do you think that the uh that you'll be received by the Viking faithful yeah I think the emotions will be very interesting it's it's uh different than playing other places when you've built up memories with people you care about that mean so much to you um it has a different feeling it'll have a different feeling not only for me but for my wife and for my kids um you I think my wife is already getting tickets for the school class that my boys were in last year in Minnesota so all their classmates and their old teacher can be there so those kinds of things aren't happening at our other away games and I think that's what makes going back to Minnesota um special um so it'll it'll certainly have a different feel but uh I think it'll be U um have like a positive warm feeling to it certainly right last few questions here for you um could you just talk about uh working with rookie Michael pennick in the quarterback's room I'm sure he's come in and asked you a ton of questions already but what have you seen from from him so far as he gets his career going here yeah he's been working hard uh the quarterback room's been a great room of discussion you know all through OTAs and training camp talking through reads and footwork and timing and um you know just how we all can kind of take our game to another level and I think we've all kind of improved over the last several weeks and months and um I kind of expect that upward trajectory to continue as we go through the season yeah so for every team you've played for you've had one or two viral moments from uh you like that in in Washington to uh kir o chains and greedy your own touchdown dance in Minnesota so what can we expect you to pull off with the Falcons and have you been practicing the uh Dirty Bird dance well what's funny about those moments you mentioned is that they uh all of them were spontaneous none of them were were prepped or thought out beforehand maybe that's the best way to do it so I have tried to learn the Dirty Bird dance I would like to bust it out at some point maybe on a touchdown run if I can be fortunate enough to run one in but uh I would like to as you mentioned if we've had one in each place we'll have to get a moment like that here in Atlanta and um I think best case scenario it'll have to just happen organically hey sports fans if you want to see more conversations with athletes and stars check out these videos right here and be sure to subscribe for more from USA Today sports